In commercial meat packing operations where meat is being prepared for use as hamburger patties or as meat loaf, it has been the practice to comminute the meat, blend it and pass the comminuted meat through an extruder which presses and forms the meat to make a uniform cross-section. The extruded meat is cut into desired lengths to make logs and the logs transferred by hand onto a main conveyor. A typical size of the meat logs may be about 3".times.3".times.24". In a later stage of the packing operation the logs may be sliced into patties having dimensions of about 3".times.3".times.1/2". The log forming, cutting, and handling operations have caused difficulties in the past.
According to the prior practice a main conveyor is provided for carrying the logs away from the log forming apparatus. An operator normally stands by this main conveyor and with his hands picks up the meat log after it has been cut into lengths and places it into the mouth of a guide through which the log drops down onto the main conveyor. The object is to pick up the log and pass it through the guide and onto the conveyor so that the logs are consecutively placed one after another with a space of about one inch between logs, and to do this without breaking, bending or otherwise distorting the log. At this point in the processing, the logs are quite fragile and easily broken. The operator has only his two hands to support the log and any inaccuracy in placing the log may result in contact of the log with the guide structure or with the log previously placed which results in breaking or distortion of the logs. Further, the temperature of the meat is critical with respect to its ability to hold together, and in the past it has been necessary to hold the temperature within very narrow limits.
Such operations have a number of disadvantages. The logs may weigh about seven to nine pounds each and it is a tiring and unpleasant job to lift the logs and to be careful to accurately place them at the constant and rapid rate that is required on a production line. Also due to the fragile nature of the logs there is always a substantial percentage of the logs which are broken, bent or distorted. This is a serious problem. The broken or distorted logs may run as high as 30% of the logs handled and all the broken parts have to be collected and carried back to be mixed and formed all over again.
We have set about to discover ways to solve the problems and difficulties above pointed out and to provide a device which is capable of performing the required functions in the handling of the meat logs. It is desired to perform the handling of the logs more accurately and more efficiently than could be done by hand. It is further desired that our improved device be applicable also to the handling of articles other than the meat logs which are specifically referred to herein.